As classic cars go, the Mini is one that needs very little in the way of an introduction.
Voted Car of the Century by Autocar magazine, Alec Issigonis’s motoring masterpiece is revered the world over – and not without good reason.
After all, over four million were sold, and there are very few people in the UK who don’t have a Mini memory of one form or another, be it through owning one, having a family member with one or simply fond memories of seeing them on every street corner.
Such is its popularity that the Mini has spawned its own culture, with fans of the car from all over the world using Minis as blank canvases to place their own individual mark on the model.
The Mk 1 is, of course, the most desirable of standard Minis as it’s the seminal example and this one is an absolute gem. Freshly restored, it just needs a few minor details to finish it off.
The first owner bought the Mini new and owned the car for 45 years, with the 47,995 miles on the clock being genuine.
From 1964 to 1984 it was used as a second vehicle until the owner retired in 1984 and his aim was to restore the Mini, but due to ill health the car sat in his garage until 2009.
The next owner bought the vehicle as he is a huge Mini enthusiast. It was totally stripped back to the shell and then sent to a specialist restorer where he spent £6,500 on the bodyshell alone. New subframe, suspension and brakes were fitted to make it into a rolling shell.
The vendor acquired the Mini because the second owner, due to work commitments, was unable to finish the vehicle. It has spent the past three years being reassembled from mostly new parts and is both tax and MOT exempt.
The vendor planned to finish it and use it occasionally then store it as an asset, but a change in circumstances means he is reluctantly selling it sooner than he intended.
It’s a sea of red inside the Mini, and almost perfect red at that – red vinyl seats, matching brand-new carpets, a spindly two-spoke steering wheel, cord-pull door handles and a ‘magic wand’ gear lever – all early Mini parts that the anoraks pore over.
It’s all in lovely order, as you’d expect having been mostly renewed. The seats, though, are original and have not been recovered, just carefully cleaned up.
Freshly painted in its original Tartan Red, the Mini looks a million dollars and the quality of the paint job is masterful – clean, shiny and with excellent panel gaps.
It appears to sit a bit high at the back in the photos but this is simply because the entire rear suspension had just been replaced at the time of the photos. 20 miles down the road, it’ll settle beautifully, but this is how they left the factory and it is, essentially, a brand new car. It has new chrome, new trim, new tyres.
There are a couple of badges and minor trim parts missing that the owner hasn’t been able to source yet, but the quality of the restoration work is terrific. The car has been kept in an indoor cocoon bubble since the restoration was finished and the vendor is happy to include this in the sale.
With just 34bhp on tap, the 848cc A-Series is no rocket ship, but the torquey nature of the BMC unit, along with the Mini’s limpet-like grip, mean it will crack along nicely.
The engine was remanufactured during the car’s restoration and received new pistons, while the transmission was also rebuilt. The suspension, clutch, flywheel and entire wiring loom were also renewed.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire a great example of a Mini Mk 1 with all of the sought-after early features.
It’s in fine order and is brilliantly restored, ready to show, enjoy and potentially win prizes with.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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More about buying with us
1964 Austin Mini 850 Mk 1
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